Tijuana Flats Opens Eco-Friendly Location in Delray Beach

A new shopping plaza located east of I-95 in south Delray Beach is bringing four new dining franchise locations to Palm Beach County this year, including Starbucks, Five Guys, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Tijuana Flats.

The Delray Village Shoppes, located at 551 Linton Blvd., is currently home to a drive-through Starbucks and Tijuana Flats, which opened Monday, October 6.

"Consumers have repeatedly asked for a location in the Delray Beach area. We are excited to have finally found the right location in this community," said Tijuana Flats CEO Brad Kaemmer.

Tijuana Flats, which has 105 locations across the state, currently operates several Palm Beach County restaurants, including Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and Wellington. At least a dozen additional locations are slated to open over the next several years, including in Jupiter and Lake Worth.

Known for its made-to-order Tex-Mex cuisine, 15 serve-yourself hot sauces, and unique wall art, Tijuana Flats in Delray Beach will employ up to 50 "team members." The 2,000-square-foot restaurant can seat up to 100, with indoor and outdoor dining space. For Delray Beach, the wall mural -- a staple at all restaurant locations but personalized to each store -- displays a classic superhero battle with the city's Pineapple Grove in the backdrop.

More unique to this location, however, is the energy-efficient equipment and features. All menus have been printed on recycled paper, and special LED lighting has an average lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, which are set to occupancy timers that help conserve energy throughout the day. The restaurant also features an environmentally friendly Energy Star tankless water heater, water-saving toilets and faucets that meet the EPA WaterSense criteria, ceiling tile made with more than 50 percent recycled content, and floor tile made with post- and pre-consumer recycled materials. Even the walk-in coolers are energy-conscious.

Opening-week specials include $2 Dos Equis beer, and $3 Woodbridge wine (Monday through Sunday). On Friday, October 10, the restaurant will host a "Rock Out Party" with live music and giveaways from 6 to 9 p.m. Guests can also support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation by making their tacos pink for $1 or purchasing Tijuana Flats' "Just in Queso" hot sauce.

If you're artistically inclined, grab a ceiling tile while you're there. In typical Tijuana Flats tradition, the restaurant is giving customers the opportunity to decorate a ceiling tile that will remain with the restaurant as a permanent piece of personalized art.

Nicole Danna is a food blogger covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.